1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to commodity information registering apparatus and method in which commodity identification information is read, from a radio tag (for example radio frequency identification tag), a code symbol or the like, and commodity information corresponding to the commodity identification information is registered. A radio frequency identification tag is called RFID tag for short.
2. Description of the Related Art
Commodity information registering apparatuses are provided with input devices for inputting commodity identification information such as identification data, sales prices, and manufacturing dates of commodities. The commodity identification information is sometimes described as barcode information in barcodes attached to the commodities, or stored as data carrier information in data carriers attached to the commodities. When the commodity identification information is the barcode information, a barcode reader is used as the input device. This barcode reader irradiates the barcode with light, and receives the reflected light to thereby acquire the commodity identification information. The commodity identification information is the data carrier information, a data carrier reader is used as the input device. This data carrier reader reads the data carrier information carried by a carrier wave oscillated from the data carrier by radio, and acquires the commodity identification information (see, e.g., Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 11-66435).
Additionally, when the commodity provided with a radio tag is registered, the radio tag needs to be moved to a reading field of a radio tag reader. Therefore, in a store in which commodities provided with the barcodes and the radio tags, those provided with the barcodes only, and those provided with the radio tags only exist in a mixed manner, an operator who registers the commodities confirms presence of the radio tags. When there is the radio tag, the radio tag has to be moved to the reading field of the radio tag reader.